My Hellish Camping Trip
by Like.Wait.WHAT
Summary: "Camping." I watch his lips shape the word. "What?" I ask. "Camping Max. In order to graduate this year, you'll have to go on a camping trip that I'm organizing." The words 'camping trip' was a whammy to my gut. What the heck? *Loads of FAX, campfires, and gooey s'mores," Read&Review.
1. Prologue

_A/N: This is so random! But I was thinking (while I was trying to do some of the chapters for my other unfinished stories. And I really wanted to try to finish "The Last Trip," And while trying to write another chapter I went back to "A camping trip of a life time" I... hated it, haha. Not the plot or what I did, but there were so many errors and ... it was just awful. It was my first story and I was younger and knew to all of this. But, still, It was hard to read. So I decided to write a remake, fix things, and add things. Write a better copy I guess. You can read it if you want. If not, then okay. I'm doing this more for me. I just have to, so please no complaining! Also, it'll help me to write and finish up part two._

_A/N - part two: I'm not saying I still don't have trouble with grammar! so it's not going to be perfect, but It'll be sooo much better ;) _

_A/N ... part three: I'm sorry that I've been away for a while, but the last year I've been super busy, and sadly haven't had much time to write. And I'm sorry. But I'm going to try so hard to finish this story and all my others! _

_Okay! Thats all! Enjoy and review! _

* * *

Prologue:

"_Camping."_

Camping.

Camping.

Camping.

I watch his lips shape each letter.

I clear my throat and try my hardest to sound causal as I ask, "What?"

"Camping Max. In order to graduate this year, you'll have to go on a camping trip that I'm organizing."

The words 'camping trip' was a whammy to my gut. I cannot do stupid tents and gross camping food that you eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I cannot do little critters and damn cutesy bunnies flopping all over the place like it's some stupid kid cartoon. Just anything camping related I cannot do.

_That _thought in mind I stand. "Hahah very funny. Now can you just give me my detention slip and I'll be on my way. Sad and disciplined."

"Max sit down." He commands like a drill sergeant.

It worked. I plop down quickly like the chair was a magnet and my butt was a paperclip. I knot my finger for once wishing he would just hand over that dreadful pink slip that'd deem me to a day or more stuck in a classroom for two hours.

But he doesn't, instead he says, "This isn't a joke. If you want to finish high school you'll have better pack some hiking boots."

I cringe when I realize he was really, truly serious. In order to acquire my diploma I'm going to have to do this. I'm gonna have to go freaking camping with other dimwits. That's just freaking peachy.

Though, I wasn't done begging just yet.

"Can't I do something else? Possibly cafeteria duty? Or maybe I can wash your car for a week or something!?" The plead was there in my voice, but so was the hope.

Damnit! I shouldn't have let my anger dominate my thoughts. But I did. I was so angry and it powerhouse right through my common sense. And _only one _person can make me lose my shit all over the place: Lissa.

Our feud goes way back to the first grade. Honestly, the reason for her hatred is stupid, immature and pathetic. All I did was spill a little apple juice on her new white dress, and _boom_ a rivalry was born. Aside from that stupid issue we've just never clicked. So, it's nobody surprise that I'm in trouble because I got in a fight with the red airhead during math class.

The principle shook his head, "It's camping or you don't walk across that stage."

My hope crumbles like a cookie at his words. I sigh and nod in defeat. "Okay."

The principle settles back in his chair. His eyes broiled with triumph.

I glare. "Why'd you organize a camping trip anyways?"

The principle reaches for a frame on his desk and spins it around. "I was a boy scout."

I lean closer to regard the photo better. And uh-huh it was the principle as a itty boy scout. He had the custom brown uniform shorts showing his emaciated legs, and bony knees. With it he had on the matching brown vest and gaudy patches. Gross.

"Camping builds a lot of character. You have to depend on others to survive out there, you form trusts and bonds. And it's a fun experience, of course. I loved camping as a boy scout, and it helped me grow into the man I am today. So, each year I organize a camping trip, and I hand pick a few bad apples."

"And you _blackmail _us?"

He chuckles. "No. Max, you _punched_ Lissa. You should have been expelled, which leads to failing since it's so close to the end of the year. But instead I'm giving you a chance to prove yourself. I'm giving you a chance to graduate."

"Fine. How long?" I ask. My voice is sharp and bitter. I really don't want to do this, but what other choice do I have?

"One week. You leave this Saturday." He answers and hands me a sheet. "All the information you need to know is right there. The place. What you will need. Everything."

My eyes scan the fruitless words about this stupid camping trip. There was a list of the items I'll need to bring, and a list of the stuff I'm not _allowed _to bring.

"No ipod." I read aloud. I look up at him. "Really?"

He nods. "You can have it for the bus ride, but otherwise it'll be taking away from you once you step foot off the bus."

"In other words a week of hell." I mutter standing, fetching my bag. "Can I go now?"

"Yes." He says. "But Max, I really think this will do you some good. It'll … be an eye opener."

"Sure." I toss over my shoulder before leaving the stuffy office.

But I doubt that.


	2. Chapter 2

Round two! hope you like it!

* * *

One:

"Well, honey this is perfect." My mom says after reading the sheet.

I snatch it from her. _Perfect_, she says. What's so damn perfect about this? It's a nightmare!

"_Mom, _it's not perfect! It's horrible."

"And what's so horrible about it?" she asks.

I wave the sheet in the air in rage, the sheet slashing the air like a sword. Okay, I was exaggerated just a little bit… but still, it's freaking _camping. _

"Mom, I don't want to spend a week in the middle of nowhere with a group of idiots! We can't even have our ipods or any eclectic device at all. What's so perfect about that?"

My mom lifts one finger in the air. "Well, for one you finish high school in three weeks, two weeks if you go on this camping trip. Two, it could be a lot of fun. And three, you might meet new friends."

I roll my eyes. My mom has this crazy notion that I need friends. Or a friend. Friends make the world go 'round and 'round I suppose. Friends are the air you breathe.

I glare at her and start pacing around the kitchen. "I_ had _a friend, if you'd remember correctly." I grumble, quickly turning my back to my wacky mother, masking the hurt that was clear on my face. After all these years it still hurts. "I don't need a friend."

"Oh Max, I'm sorry."

I breath deeply, vanishing the hurt on my face. I turn to lean against the counter. "Save it. We both know that was the best choice. Why should I find another friend if the outcome will be the same?"

"Because you're more mature now. You have more of a handle on things now." she says.

"Riiiight. More of a handle on things." I say sourly, pointy looking at the sheet. I did slap Lissa earlier today. But _sure_ I _totally _have a handle on things. Uh-huh mother.

She sighs. "You know what I mean Max. I think it's safe if you have friends again. I doubt you'll blow your secret at the age of seventeen."

Ah, my _secret_.

We all have our secrets, but mine's totally out there in a different universe. It sure as hell isn't an ordinary secret you'd hear everyday. A normal secret: I have a crush on my teacher. Normal: I have a Mickey Mouse blanket even at the age of seventeen. Normal: I still suck my thumb as a college student. Hell, my secret was even worse then having an extra toe or an extra nipple.

My secret: I have a pair of wings. I can fly.

There not strap on wings you would buy at a custom store either. I can't just freely un-strap them, dismissing them easily. No, there attach to me for life.

Lucky me.

Clearly, I had to hide them from sight, sheltering that part of me from the world to see. And it was hard.

I had one friend.

Joy.

We were best friends, attached to the hip since that moment at the sand box in elementary school. It's funny really. Apple juice gained me an enemy, but it also gained me a great friend.

Apple juice.

"_Why are you crying?" I ask the girl with the lopsided pigtails. _

_Her water filled green eyes looks up at me, then she points at the juice box buried in the sand of the sandbox. _

"_I dropped my apple juice." she says sadly. _

_I examine the juice box that's mummified by the tan sand, switching my eyes to my apple juice that was half full.  
_

"_Here." I say thrusting it into her hands. "Have mine."_

"_Really?" she asks._

_I pause thoughtfully. Was I crazy!? Sniffed too many crayons during art time or something? This was apple juice … apple juice was un-sharable. I switch my eyes to her face again. _

"_I must really like you." I say letting go of the juice box. "You're lucky. I don't like anyone." _

_She slurps the drink loudly and happily. "I like you too! Wanna be best friends?" _

"_Will you bring me apple juice tomorrow?" I ask. _

_She nods. "I'll have my mom pack us some, and maybe some cookies too!" _

_I smile. "Best friends it is then."_

_We shook on it. _

Best handshake ever.

The friendship fell apart just before high school. My secret always loomed over my head, threatening what we had. Countless times she'd almost found out. After a while, I knew I had to put a stop to it. So I did.

Broken friendship aside. On to the how and why of my wings.

I've had these babies since I was born.

Long story short. My dad's a lunatic scientist. My mother fell hard for the broken scientist act. Shortly I happened.

I was my dad's experiment. And he treated me like one. That put a dent in my moms love, so, she did the heroic thing; took me and ran. We never looked back. However, as of late, he's kept in touch -

"Speaking of… your dad called again."

_See. _

Frankly, it was wigging my out. It would be best for all of us if he would understand I don't want anything to do with him. It would be best if he would just go poof and disappear for good. I know that's a horrible thing to say about your dad, but this was _my _dad.

I rub my temples trying to sooth my headache with cool fingertips.

"This day just keeps getting worse and worse. What did he want?"

My mom shrugs. "Just checking in I suppose. Asking how you were doing, how school was." My mom pauses. "and … hewantsadaywithyou."

The words were depressed into one another, but I heard each word. "No way in hell." I say flatly.

"That's what I said. But he was pushy. Something's off with him."

Something clicks. "Is that why you want me to go so badly? To get away from home incase he shows up?"

Her face was stone but her eyes shown the truth; I was dead on.

I cross my arms and sigh. "Alright. Fine."

But I wasn't happy about this.

My mom nods. "I think it would be best. I'm good Max. Real good." She taps her head with a finger. "I can read people."

'She can read people' isn't meant to sound like some crazy fortune teller aspect that will have you running toward the hills in disbelief. My mother has the power to see through anyone's truths or bullshits is what she means. Her mind was just that good. And her IQ was through the roofs. Since I could remember she's always skillfully put together puzzles of 500 in less then half and hour, knew something on my homework without studying it herself first, and a bunch of other crazy shit. She was my dads perfect match because know one could keep up with him, but her.

"And I can always be a step ahead of them. But your father's always been different. He was always on a whole different level. I _never _know what his next step is. Or what's going through that head of his. And I'll admit it, it's what I loved about him. He was this puzzle I couldn't figure out. But now I'm scared of that fact instead of fascinated, so I need you to go on this camping trip for the week."

I nod, accepting the fact that it was safer, but what about her? I'm going to be safe, but will she?

"What about you? Are you going to be okay?" I ask worried.

Slightly, she smiles. "I'm going to be perfectly okay. Its you I'm worried about."

I look down, dropping my arms. "Because I have the wings." I say bitter, my hands balled at my side.

"Yes."

And there we go.

My wings once again decides where my life should head to next.


	3. Check, Check, Her List

Two: Check, Check, Her List:

_**One week later: **_

"Sleeping bag and pillow?"

"Check." I say, indolently pointing at the rolled up green sleeping bag that I'd got at a nearby Kmart for five dollars and a handful of dimes. A little too much for something I wasn't _ever _going to use again but oh well. I could always bring the stupid thing back once this senseless trip was over and done with and use it for a blanket. "And check." The pillow was rolled up into the sleeping back, the white butt sticking out a little.

With a smooth glide of her pen she checks the two off her list. "Aluminum water bottle?" she says next.

I picked up the blue water bottle, eyeing it distastefully. "Check." I say. It had a sliver dangling clip on the side in the shape of a triangle to clip to a bag, and had a screw on plastic lid. Hoooow fancy!

She checks that off her list too.

"Flashlight?"

I pick it up and click it on, pointing it towards her face. "Flashlight, cheeeeck."

She swats it out of her face then checks it off the list. "Batteries for the flashlight?"

"Um…" I quickly unscrew the lid of the flashlight, peering inside spotting the two batteries snugly hugging one another inside, I say, "Check."

"Extra pack of batteries for the flashlight?" she asks, "And first aid kit?"

I look at her as if _she_ owns the pair of wings. "Why would I need a first aid kit? I'm not human remember. And yeah, I have the extra pack."

My mom puts the list down, looking at me over her reading glasses. "You are so… just with wings. And you can _still _get hurt. Besides it was on the list."

I roll my eyes at my mom's unnecessary worries. I could fight an army of guys with my arms bound behind my back and a blindfold covering my eyes. I could kicked and chop, beat and bruise anyone I want. But a mom is a mom, she'll worry needlessly.

"_Alrighty_ then, check."

"Good. Food bars?"

I reach for the scattered bars in a verity of different flavors. "Check… wait, why are these on the lists?"

I read some of them. Cookie dough. S'more. Chocolate and peanut butter.

"There not. But you have to eat more than the normal amount. They don't know that. Hide them and eat them when you _really _need to eat. Got it?"

I laugh. "Okay mom. Thanks. What's next?"

"Umbrella, extra underwear and socks?"

I bow an arrow a pair of purple thongs across the room. "Underwear, check. And check for the socks and umbrella."

My mom glares at the underwear that landed on my lamp. "When did you start wearing thongs?"

I thought about it for a second. "Since I decided I was a women."

"And that was when…?"

"When I first had my period." I said bluntly. "Oh. I also realized because I have no boobs I had to do something to feel womanly."

My mom laughs. "Trust me Max. When you're my age, you'll be thankful you have tiny bobbies."

"Okkkkkayyyy… This became weird. What's next?"

Another half hour went by of looking over the list and making sure I have everything. And finally I did. My bed was full of organized piles; clothes, bedding, flashlight and batteries. Bug sprays and umbrellas, two of both. I told my mom I only need one. Her argument? I could use up all of the bug spray, so It was key to have an extra so my skin wouldn't become a chew toy, and the umbrella could be eating my a bear. Clever mom. I also have piles of food; snack bars, dry fruit, and trail mix. My purple bedspread was invisible to the eye of all the camping supplies.

"Okay Max. All you have to do is pack it all into the duffle bags."

"Wait, aren't you going to help?" I ask.

She laughs. "Nope. You got yourself into this. I helped you check over everything. The rest is you. I'll go order pizza for dinner."

And with that she left.

I cannot wait until this was over.

* * *

_**Next is the start of Max on her camping trip! Review! **_

_**Thanks!**_


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